In Colorado, some of the least-populated towns have attractions that are anything but quaint like record-setting hot springs, unruly whitewater rapids, and mountain biking trails that skirt cliff sides. Then, throw in some sultry boom-and-bust mining town lore and, in one special town, elk that roam the streets each fall, and it’s apparent that small town charm looks different in the Centennial State.
From an up-and-coming Western Slope wine country to a blip on the map where you can hike to a ghost resort, here are 12 wonderful small towns worth visiting in Colorado.
Georgetown
In the late-1800s, Georgetown was considered the “Silver Queen of the Rockies” because of its rich silver veins that lured miners. An easy 45-minute drive from Denver, daytrippers today will find colorful Victorian buildings housing gift shops, ice cream parlors and restaurants. Buy tickets for the Georgetown Loop Railroad’s steam-powered train ride and breathe the crisp mountain air and take in unobstructed views while aboard open-air train cars. The route runs between Georgetown and Silver Plume, another one of Colorado’s famous mining towns. Those fascinated by the Old West can also take a mine tour that includes a stop to pan for gold, and, yup, it’s finder’s keepers if you turn up some of the precious metal.
Palisade
You know Colorado for its beer. But the state also has an up-and-coming wine scene on the Western Slope. Sample wine in a former peach packing plant at Ordinary Fellow, try sparkling wines true to Colorado’s terroir at Sauvage Spectrum, and get a solid overview of the Grand Valley AVA at Carboy Wineries, where charcuterie and vino comes with views of the Book Cliff Mountains. If you’re visiting in the summer, pop by a fruit stand for juicy Palisade peaches and tart cherries. In addition to the famed fruits and crushed grapes, Palisade, in 2021, became a destination for mountain bikers, with the debut of The Palisade Plunge. This daring 32-mile alpine-to-desert singletrack ride includes a 6,000-foot descent. Vacation rentals are the way to go here, or you can stay at a boutique hotel in nearby Grand Junction, like The Maverick or
Cañon City
Home to several prisons (and the Colorado Prison Museum), Cañon City might seem like an odd fit for a best small towns list. But this adventurous pocket in Southern Colorado is a basecamp for some of the state’s best whitewater rafting. Book a guided trip with an Arkansas River outfitter and enjoy the fast flows, Class IV and V Rapids, and canyon views along the Royal Gorge. For a different perspective, check out the Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, which bills itself as the highest suspension bridge, dangling 1,000 feet above the Arkansas River. After a day of adventuring, hit Cañon City’s Main Street, which has pizza shops, dinners, and breweries.
Steamboat Springs
Don’t let the trademarked name “Champagne Powder” at Steamboat Ski Resort mislead you. This mountain town shrugs pretensions to preserve a laid back, Wild West feel, complete with a summer rodeo. After schussing down the slopes or hiking the trails, take a leisurely soak in 102-degree Fahrenheit geothermal waters at Strawberry Park Hot Springs; reservations are required. The rock-rimmed soaking pools are especially pretty in the winter when steam rises from the water while nickel-sized snowflakes fall. Steamboat Springs is also a destination-worthy mountain biking spot with the Steamboat Bike Park offering a 40-mile trail network and lift-assisted downhill trails.
Glenwood Springs
A popular hot springs destination, Glenwood Springs has plenty of places to soak in mineral-rich waters. Iron Mountain Hot Springs is set on the banks of the Colorado River and features multiple pools, including those that rotates its mineral mix in order to mimic famous hot springs around the world, like adding silica to recreate a small-scale replica of Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. Another option is the 450-feet long Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, which claims to be the largest mineral hot springs pool. Hotel 1888, a new 16-room boutique hotel, opened in the historic bath house over the summer. And, at the Yampah Spa Vapor Caves, hot mineral waters flow through cave floors, creating a unique subterranean steam bath. Glenwood Springs is also an ideal launch pad for one of Colorado’s most treasured hikes: Hanging Lake, which has become so popular, permits are now required.
Estes Park
There’s no wrong time to visit Estes Park, a mountain town at the entrance of Rocky Mountain National Park. But autumn is probably the most spectacular time of year to make the trek because in addition to checking out the fall foliage, October (known as Elktober) is mating season for elk, which means you can spot these majestic creatures meandering around town and hear them bugling. Plus, a ghost tour at The Stanley Hotel (the lodge that inspired Stephen King to write “The Shining”) feels just right leading up to Halloween. Estes Park also has the Mustang Mountain Coaster alpine coaster, which has 2,000 feet of track and mountain views; dueling taffy shops and fun souvenir stops like the Ore Cart Rock Shop that’s stocked with geodes and meteorites.
Winter Park
Winter Park is a powderhound’s playground with more than 3,000 acres of terrain plus lift-served tubing runs at the ski resort. In the winter months, a ski train runs between Denver’s Union Station and Winter Park, which is a great option for those looking to bypass all the high country highway traffic. If you’re staying in town, hunker down in Winter Park’s newest hotel, which is actually a collection of A-frame cabins, styled with 1970s apres-ski culture in mind. The two-story triangular cabins at the A-Frame Club that have Malm fireplaces and onsen soaking tubs. Those coming to Winter Park in the summer months can hit the links, zip down an alpine slide, or go fly fishing in the trout-filled Fraser or Upper Colorado Rivers.
Lyons
Find mountain town quirk at its finest in Lyons, which is just outside of Boulder and located along the route to Rocky Mountain National Park. Lyons has an artistic edge, hosting Planet Bluegrass, a popular music festival, each summer and the town is filled with public art, including a new color-saturated mural from Lyons native Android Jones whose work has been commissioned by the Sydney Opera House, Burning Man and more. Overnight stays in Lyons are as unique as the town, with options like Wee Casa, a tiny home resort, and Big Tree Farmstead, a lavender farm with lodging. Lyons also recently welcomed its first destination dining spot, Marigold, a 40-seat restaurant serving Northern Italian and Southern French dishes. You could also make Lyons a stopover on your way to Estes
Twin Lakes
Twin Lakes, a spot for boating, fishing and enjoying some R&R, has a one-block downtown with a general store and saloon. Rent a kayak or paddleboard from a local outfitter and paddle around the placid, glacial lakes which bear the reflections of surrounding mountains. One of the coolest ways to explore Twin Lakes, though, is by hiking through the Aspen trees and along the Interlake Trail, which leads to a turn-of-the-century ghost town resort, with an abandoned hotel resting on the shores. Hikers can wander through the deserted Dexter Cabin, climbing to a cupola for lake views. The cabin was built in the late 1800s by wealthy miner James V. Dexter. The out-and-back ghost town trek is a 4.6-mile roundtrip.
Telluride
Enveloped in a box canyon and surrounded by 13,000 and 14,000-foot mountain peaks in the San Juan Mountains, Telluride is filled with natural beauty, Victorian-era homes and pristine, uncrowded slopes. Outdoors lovers can find plenty of adventures here, including an adventurous via ferrata route, a waterfall Bridal Veil Falls hike, and custom heli-skiing tours. The town also keeps a busy calendar with festivals that celebrate a number of things, including hot air balloons, horror films, jazz music, comedy, yoga and much more. Catch a performance at the Historic Sheridan Opera House, which was built as a vaudeville theater in 1913 by miners and is now part of Colorado’s historic opera house circuit. As a bonus, visitors to Telluride can take a 13-minute free gondola ride to Mountain Village, which has luxury hotels, shops and restaurants.
Pagosa Springs
Pagosa Springs’ claim to fame is that it’s home to the world’s deepest geothermal hot spring aquifer, which runs at least 1,000 feet under the surface. The mother spring provides mineral waters to hot spring resorts throughout this southwestern Colorado town, including The Springs Resort that has 52 soaking pools and cold plunges of varying sizes and temps that range from 35 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit. Guests at the resort have 24/7 access to the pools so you can soak under the stars. If you’re coming for a hot springs vacation, stay on theme and grab a beer at Riff Raff Brewing, an “earth-powered brewery” powered by spring-fed geothermal heating. The area also has lots of hiking trails, including an easy one-mile round-trip hike to Piedra Falls, a waterfall that cascades down volcanic cliffs.
Ouray
Ouray is known as the “Switzerland of Colorado” because of its dramatic alpine setting. Fall is the perfect time to visit because you can drive the legendary Million Dollar Highway which connects Ouray with Silverton, another mountain town that sprung up in the late 1800s when prospectors rushed to the San Juan Mountains hoping to strike it rich with silver and gold. Adventurous types can try out the Gold Mountain Via Ferrata with Basecamp Ouray that ascends 1,000 feet and crosses through an old gold mine. Hot springs and a hike in Box Cañon Falls Park & Nature Center where a powerful 285-foot waterfall pummels through a narrow quartzite gorge round out itineraries. Hang your hat at The Western, a 16-room boutique hotel in a lovingly restored wood-frame building with a Grotto Spa.